Fold locking configuration for reclosable package or bag

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to a fold locking configuration for a reclosable package or bag wherein excess flange material which extends beyond the consumer graspable tab is reduced or eliminated. A patch covers an opening with upper and lower closure strips. After the patch is removed, a peel seal is opened to gain access to the contents of the package or bag. The package or bag is then folded over so that the upper and lower closure strips interengage or interlock so that the package is closed.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to a fold locking configuration for a reclosable package or bag wherein excess flange material which extends beyond the consumer graspable tab is reduced or eliminated.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The prior art for reclosable packages is well-developed. The prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 8,727,621, entitled “Easy Open and Reclosable Package with Die-Cut Web and Reclosure Mechanism” issued on May 20, 2014 to Owensby. In this reference, in particular, it is disclosed that there is excess flange material so that one of the closure strips extends beyond the consumer graspable tab (element 90 in FIG. 25) so that a strip of peel seal can be secured to the tab portion of the removable patch to create a hermetic package. However, this excess flange material adds to the material cost of the closure.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a closure for a reclosable package wherein reduced costs, particularly reduced material costs, are realized.

This and other objects are attained by a closure wherein package hermeticity is typically achieved by sealing the closure to the back panel or by putting a peel seal between the two closure strips, rather than having the peel seal on the front of the closure. This peel seal may be the width of the closure strips, the width of the package, or formed around all sides of the closure. A further alternative is that the peel seal material is applied to an entire area facing the closure. This typically eliminates the need for a tab to remove the patch, thereby allowing for a significantly narrower closure flange and reduced material costs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further objects and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a plan view of a first embodiment of the reclosable package of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1B is a plan view of a second embodiment of the reclosable package of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1C is a plan view of a third embodiment of the reclosable package of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1D is a plan view of a third embodiment of the reclosable package of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along plane 2-2 of FIG. 1A, showing the patch in an exploded position.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the package after the representation of FIG. 2 has been folded to achieve a closed configuration.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, showing the patch in an exploded position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views, one sees that FIG. 1A is a plan view of a first embodiment of the package or bag 10 with a closure 12, in accordance with the present disclosure. The package or bag 10 includes a front wall 14 and a rear wall 16, co-extensive with each other, and typically made from polymeric material. The front and rear walls 14, 16 are sealed to each other at the edges by bottom seal 18, side seals 20, 22 and top seal 24 thereby forming product storage volume 26. Alternatively, the front and rear walls 14, 16 could be presented as an integral structure by replacing one of the seals by a fold, or by configuring a tubular structure.

Referring now to FIGS. 1A and 2, one can see that the front wall 14 includes an opening 30, illustrated as rectangular, with a top edge 32, a bottom edge 34 and first and second side edges 36, 38. Closure 12 includes upper closure strip 40 and lower closure strip 42 in a parallel configuration. Upper closure strip 40 is sealed or otherwise attached to the top edge 32 of opening 30 along upper seal or attachment line 41 and lower closure strip 42 is or otherwise attached sealed to the bottom edge 34 of opening 30 along lower seal or attachment line 43. Upper closure strip 40 includes upper locking members 44 and lower closure strip 42 includes lower locking members 46. Alternatively, upper and lower closure strips 40, 42 could be implemented as a single closure with two sets of locking members similar to locking members 44, 46 and a space between the two sets of locking members. Upper and lower locking members 44, 46 are illustrated as self-mating variable-alignment multiple-male members. However, other locking member configurations are possible, such as Aplix® closures or Velcro® (i.e., hook-and-eye) closures.

As further shown in FIGS. 1A and 2, a peel seal 50 is positioned between rear wall 16 and the full expanse of lower closure strip 42 so as to releasably secure the lower closure strip 42 to the rear wall. In FIG. 2, patch 52 shown in an exploded position. Patch 52 is placed over opening 30 and then is removed prior to the initial opening of the bag or package 10. Patch 52 could be initially attached to the front wall 14 visa perforated lines, score lines, through-cuts, other lines of weakness. Additionally, patch 52 could be initially attached by peel seal material, which is typically a non-resealable polymer resin.

The embodiment of FIG. 1B shows the seal 50 extending the entire width of the package or bag 10 with a view to maintaining hermeticity. Typically, the portion of seal 50 immediately below the lower closure strip 42 is a peel seal and the portions outward from the lower closure strip 42 are hard seals or lock-up seals between the front and rear walls 14, 16. The embodiment of FIG. 1C shows the peel seal 50 extending around or outwardly adjacently from the periphery of opening 30 in a “racetrack” configuration. A variation of this embodiment would be that the lower horizontal seal is a peel and the remaining portions (the vertical portions and the upper horizontal portions) could be lock-up seals. The embodiment of FIG. 1D illustrates the peel seal material being applied throughout a peel seal area 50′ throughout the extent of the opening 30.

To open the package or bag 10, the user removes the patch 52. The user then breaks or otherwise opens peel seal 50 (in any of the configurations shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D, including peel seal area 50′ of FIG. 1D) to access the contents of the storage volume 26 of package or bag 10 (or, alternatively, to place contents into the storage volume 26 of package or bag 10). In order to reclose the package or bag 10, the user folds the package or bag 10 as shown in FIG. 3 so that upper and lower locking members 44, 46 interlock or interengage with each other.

In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 4, the peel seal 50″ is placed between the upper and lower closure strips 40, 42 so as to releasably secure the upper and lower closure strips 40, 42 to each other. The user gains access to the package by removing the patch 52 (shown in an exploded position) and breaking or opening the peel seal 50″, thereby gaining access between the upper and lower closure strips 40, 42. In order to reclose the package or bag 10, the user folds the package or bag 10, similar to the configuration shown in FIG. 3, so that upper and lower locking members interlock or interengage with each other.

Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A reclosable package or bag, comprising: a first wall and a second wall; an opening in the first wall; a first closure profile engaging a first portion of a perimeter of the opening; a second closure profile engaging a second portion of a perimeter of the opening; and a peel seal releasably securing the second closure profile to the second wall.
 2. The reclosable package or bag of claim 1 further including a removable patch covering the opening.
 3. The reclosable package or bag of claim 1 wherein the opening is rectangular with an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge and a second side edge.
 4. The reclosable package or bag of claim 3 wherein the first closure profile is attached to the first wall proximate to the top edge of the opening.
 5. The reclosable package or bag of claim 4 wherein the second closure profile is attached to the first wall proximate to the bottom edge of the opening.
 6. The reclosable package or bag of claim 5 wherein the first closure profile extends along a top half of the opening and the second closure profiles extends along a bottom half of the opening.
 7. The reclosable package or bag of claim 6 wherein the first and second closure profiles are self-mating profiles.
 8. The reclosable package or bag of claim 6 wherein the first and second closure profiles are variable-alignment profiles.
 9. The reclosable package or bag of claim 6 wherein the first and second closure profiles are multiple-male profiles.
 10. The reclosable package or bag of claim 6 wherein the peel seal extends only to the extent of the second closure profile.
 11. The reclosable package or bag of claim 6 wherein the peel seal extends the width of the second wall.
 12. The reclosable package or bag of claim 6 wherein the peel seal extends around a periphery of the opening.
 13. The reclosable package or bag of claim 6 wherein the peel seal is applied over an area at least to the extent of the opening.
 14. A reclosable package or bag, comprising: a first wall and a second wall; an opening in the first wall; a first closure profile engaging a first portion of a perimeter of the opening; a second closure profile engaging a second portion of a perimeter of the opening; and a peel seal releasably securing the first closure profile to the second closure profile.
 15. The reclosable package or bag of claim 14 further including a patch covering the opening.
 16. The reclosable package or bag of claim 14 wherein the opening is rectangular with an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge and a second side edge.
 17. The reclosable package or bag of claim 16 wherein the first closure profile is attached to the first wall proximate to the top edge of the opening.
 18. The reclosable package or bag of claim 17 wherein the second closure profile is attached to the first wall proximate to the bottom edge of the opening.
 19. The reclosable package or bag of claim 18 wherein the first closure profile extends along a top half of the opening and the second closure profiles extends along a bottom half of the opening.
 20. The reclosable package or bag of claim 19 wherein the first and second closure profiles are self-mating profiles.
 21. The reclosable package or bag of claim 19 wherein the first and second closure profiles are variable-alignment profiles.
 22. The reclosable package or bag of claim 19 wherein the first and second closure profiles are multiple-male profiles. 